Fixing member adapted to be clamped on a shaftlike element

ABSTRACT

A fixing member in the form of a clamping disc having a radial opening, and being adapted to be clamped onto a shaft with the aid of a counter member having a coaxial opening is disclosed. Fastening means connect the disc and the counter member to one another so as to embrace the shaft when the shaft is passed through the openings. The clamping disc has a truncated and normally generally conical portion converging in a direction towards the opening, an outer rim, and an inner accordian-like annular portion integral with the outer portion. The inner portion has an inner rim and radially outwardly extending folds defining substantially flat portions between adjoining folds. The inner rim has a wave-shaped contour as viewed radially outwards. The disc is adapted to support the counter member near the outer rim thereof in an axial direction. When the counter member and the disc are tightened to one another by the fastening means, the disc is at least partially flattened and distorted so as to frictionally engage the shaft.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a clamping disc or fixing member which can besecurely clamped onto a shaft.

BACKGROUND ART

Such fixing members are known, for example from British patentspecification No. 670,392 dealing with V-belt pulleys made from platematerial and provided with a middle part formed as a fixing member ofthe type concerned. From the above patent specification also a similarfixing member is known adapted as such to cooperate with a V-belt pulleypart shaped like such a fixing member.

Such fixing members have the great advantage that they can be stampedfrom sheet metal in a simple manner and, therefore are cheap tomanufacture. Furthermore, such a fixing member, may easily be clampedonto a shaft. By means of bolts, which pass through holes in the fixingmember and then are screwed into a counter member that, for example, maybe a correponding fixing member provided with threaded holes, or whichpass through holes in the counter member, extend into a fixing memberarranged on the other side of the counter member. Further it has beenshown that and provided a very fine tolerance between the center openingof the fixing member and the shaft exists the center opening may benarrowed to such a degree that the fixing member with its inner edgeface grips the shaft tightly. The narrowing of the central openingarises upon flattening of the fixing member by tightening of the bolts.This arrangement may be procured easily and readily and results undersuch circumstances in such a firm clamping, that quite large torques canbe transmitted through the connection provided between the fixing memberand the shaft. Thus, it is even possible to use pulleys arranged withsuch fixing members as driver pulleys for large eccentric presses which,during each stroke, produce high torques and, therefore, require a veryeffective clamping effect.

For such a connection between a fixing member and a shaftlike element totransmit sufficiently large torques it is necessary, however, for thefixing member to fit into the shaft with such fine toletolerances thatsuch shafts and fixing members cannot be obtained in practice by methodsof mass production. Consequently, in practice, it has been shown thatgenerally the known fixing members, whether used merely as fixingmembers or as parts of larger elements, can be used only in such caseswhere, compared to the diameter of the shaft, only relatively smalltorques have to be transmitted. Therefore, today such fixing members areonly of little use, if of any use at all.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The object of this invetnion is to provide a fixing member of the typediscussed above, that is able to transfer to or from this element muchlarger torques than is possible by known fixing members after havingbeen clamped onto a shaft or a shaftlike element without anyparticularly fine tolerances being necessary. It is also an object ofthis invention to be able to produce such fixing members by methods ofmass production, such as, by stamping from metal It is also an object ofthis invention to find new fields of application for such a fixingmember.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention these objects are achieved by the presentinvention which provides for a fixing member having a radial opening andbeing adapted to be clamped onto a shaft-like element passing throughthe opening by deforming the fixing member upon application of axialpressure. The fixing member comprises an outer truncated and normallygenerally conical portion converging in a direction towards the radialopening, the outer portion having an outer rim in contact with andadapted to be axially supported by an abutment member. The fixing memberalso includes an inner accordion-like portion integral with the outerportion, the inner portion terminating in an inner rim at the radialopening. the inner portion also includes radially outward extendingfolds with substantially flat portions between the folds. The inner rimhas a wave-shape contour and is adapted to receive the shaft-likeelement. Upon application of axial pressure, the fixing member flattensand deforms, causing the inner rim to frictionally engage the shaft-likeelement with great force.

Due to the greater flexibility of the inner portions of the fixingmember, of the present invention which flexibility arises from theinventive folds, the flattening of the fixing member's main portion isobtained by compressing it in a direction perpendicular to the plane ofthe abutting surface. This results substantially in a contraction of thecenter or axial opening and, thereby in a pressure exerted between thedisc's inner edge face and the shaft or shaftlike element which issubstantially greater than that obtained from the above-described knownfixing members. Additionally, the surface contact between the inner edgeof the fixing member and the shaftlike element is substantial increased,often more than doubled, owing to the zigzag or wave-shape of the inneredge, and, therefore, a further substantial increase of the forces offriction between the fixing member and the shaftlike element isobtained. This advantage can be further enhanced inasmuch as the fixingmember of the present invention also make it possible to use thickermaterial than heretofore. Finally, the side edges of the inner edge faceof the fixing member are inclined relative to the direction in which anapplied torque attempts to rotate the fixing member on the shaft.Together all these advances permit much coarser tolerances to be usedthan has been possible by the previously known fixing members. Forexample, even when allowing a tolerance of about 0.1 mm, a fixingmember, according to the invention, will be able to transfer betweenitself and the shaftlike element torques considerably greater than thoseattainable by the abovedescribed known fixing members. At the same time,such fixing members can be produced without much greater manufacturingcosts. Furthermore, an new fields of application may be found for thepresent fixing member. Thus, whereas the known fixing members wereuseful only in connection with circular cylindric shafts, a fixingmember according to the present invention may be adapted to shafts ofany cross-sectional shape, for example oval and polygonal shafts, onwhich very often it is desired to obtain a firm attachment of anelement.

The fixing member may further be suitably formed so that each fold isV-shaped in cross-section and has two sides which converge radiallyoutwardly. as, since it has been shown that especially high radiallyinwardly directed clamping forces may be obtained thereby.

In case, as is already partially known from the prior art, the fixingmember is formed to have folds extending over the middle portion onlywhile the main portion has elongated apertures opposite the folds., ithas been shown that it is possible to ensure a considerable radialcontraction of the center opening even when the fixing member is madefrom thick sheet material. It is thus possible to obtain great contactpressure between the fixing member and the shaftlike element. In thiscase, it is most advantageous if elongated apertures converge outwardlywhile, the weakening of the main portion due to the openings is kept assmall as possible.

In case the fixing member is form to have folds which are substantiallyV-shaped in cross-section and have sides extending parallel to eachother, a flattening of the main portion not only result in a contractionof the center opening, but simultaneously in a tendency towards radialexpansion of the fixing member's outer edge, which in this case may alsobe zigzag or wave shaped. Therefore, in case the fixing member islocated within a correspondingly dimensioned recess, for example, in arim of a driving member to be attached to a shaft, the fixing member isable not only to be secured with great force to the shaft, but also canbe clamped with great force to the circumferential wall of the recess.Consequently, the fixing member, preferably together with anothercorresponding fixing member arranged at the opposite side of the drivingmember, is able to ensure a firm attachment of the driving member to theshaft without additional clamping means, such as bolts.

A special and large field of application of the fixing member accordingto the present invention, may be obtained, if the inner rim is threadedsince in this case the fixing member may serve as a self-locking nut. Ifsuch a fixing member or nut is screwed onto a thread until contact withanother element is obtained, and if, after a certain contact pressurehas been reached, the nut is further rotated, the innermost part of themain portion of the fixing member will be pressed inward towards theother element. and owing to the contraction of the center opening causedthereby, the thread of the center opening will be forced onto the threadaxially as well as radially, The deformations thereby produced willensure a reliable retaining of the fixing member or nut, even in thecase where there are considerable vibrations. Although not absolutelynecessary, advantageously in this case, the fixing member may further beshaped so that its outer rim is in the shape of a polygon.

Further the fixing member may be shaped to have projections on its innerand outer rims so that it is possible, by lining up two or more fixingmembers, to obtain a very large clamping surface between the jointfixing members and the shaftlike element, without it being necessary tomanufacture the fixing members from too thick a sheet of material andwithout it being necessary to use too great a force for compressing thefixing member assembly.

Additionally, the fixing member may be formed so that the thickness ofthe main portion decreases in a radially outward direction, whereby itis possible to further increase the tendency of the center opening tocontract and, thereby, to increase the clamping forces.

Finally, the fixing member may be provided with notches on its outer rimso that a perceptible expansion of the outer edge of the fixing membercan be. This enables the fixing member to be securely located within arecess of another element.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of one embodiment of the fixing memberof this invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of two fixing members similar to the oneshown in FIG. 1, and arranged on either side of an element adapted to beattached to a shaft;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of another embodiment of a fixing memberof this invention;

FIG. 4 is an axial sectional view of the member shown in FIG. 3 whichengages with a driving member having a middle portion that itselfconstitutes a fixing member similar to the one shown in FIG. 3;

FIGS. 5, 6 and 7 are a front elevational view, a side elevational view,and a cross sectional view, respectively of a third embodiment of afixing member of this invention;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are a front elevational view and a sectional view,respectively, of an embodiment of a fixing member of this invention,formed as a selflocking nut;

FIGS. 10, 11 and 12 are a front elevational view, a side elevationalview, and a sectional view, respectively, of another embodiment of thefixing member of this invention;

FIGS. 13 and 14 are a front elevational view and a sectional view,respectively, of an embodiment of two fixing members cooperating as aunit, according to this invention;

FIGS. 15 and 16 are corresponding views of another embodiment of twofixing members cooperating as a unit, according to this invention;

FIGS. 17 and 18 are front elevational views of two further embodimentsof the fixing member, according to this invention;

FIGS. 19 and 20 are a front elevational view and a sectional view,respectively, of a fixing member of this invention adapted to serve as awasher; and

FIG. 21 is a sectional view of the fixing member shown in FIGS. 19 and20, arranged on a bolt.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The fixing member shown in FIG. 1 is usually stamped from sheet metal,but it may also be made by molding, or by being pressed from a suitablyformed blank. The fixing member is in the form of a clamping disc. Itcomprises a main portion 10 normally shaped as a relatively flattruncated cone and which has an outer rim 39 and an approximately planarmiddle portion 12 provided with a center opening 14 having a diameterwhich corresponds to the diameter of a shaft which can be slid into theopening 14, and on which the fixing member 10 is to be clamped. Themiddle portion 12 is provided with a plurality, for example eight,angularly equispaced folds 18 radiating from the inner edge rim 16 ofthe fixing member and radially extending over the middle portion 12,this constituting therewith an inner, accordion-like annular portionhaving inner rim 16. In the embodiment shown, each fold 18 is formed asshown in FIG. 2, and has a cross-section with a plurality ofsubstantially V-shaped portions decreasing in depth in a radiallyoutward direction and also, in the same radially outward direction, hasconverging side edges 20. The inner edge face 16 of the middle portion12 extends, owing to the folds 18, approximately in zigzag fashion, asshown in FIG. 2, and is formed over its whole axial length as a part ofthe same cylindrical surface.

In the embodiment shown, each of two adjacent folds 18 meet at thecenter opening 14, but the number of the folds and/or their width at thecenter opening 14 may vary. It is at least necessary that two adjacentfolds be interconnected by an edge face portion forming a part of aring-shaped or cylindrical surface. The folds 18 may even have a morerounded crosssection resulting in an approximately wave-shaped edgeface.

The middle portion 12 is provided between each of two adjacent folds 18,and near a radial transition region 22 to the main portion 10, with abolt hole 24 or 26, of which every second hole 24 is a plain hole,whereas the remaining holes 26 are threaded.

At its rear or lower side, the main portion 10 is provided along itsouter circumference with a radially extending abutting surface 40, bestseen in FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2 it is shown how two fixing members 28 and 30, both similar tothe one shown in FIG. 1, but rotated 45° relative to each other, can beused for securing a pulley 32, of which only the innermost part isshown, to a shaft (not shown). In this case, the pulley 32 serves as acounter member for fixing member 28. The inner part of the pulley 32 is,at each side, provided with recesses 34 leaving between them adisc-shaped middle part 36 provided with a center opening 38 into whichthe shaft can preferably be slidably fitted, although the center opening38 may be larger than the diameter of the shaft. The two fixing members28 and 30 are placed in the two recesses 34 with their abutting surfaces40 contacting the middle part 36. Owing to the aforementioned mutualangular displacement of the two fixing members 28 and 30, eachunthreaded hole 24 of the uppermost fixing member 28 in FIG. 2 isaligned with a threaded hole 26 in fixing member 30. The pulley middlepart 36 is fixing member 30 also provided with unthreaded holes 42aligned with the holes 26. An Allen screw or a bolt may be inserted ineach one of the plain holes 24 of the fixing member 28, and extendingthrough the corresponding holes 42 in the pulley part 36, can be screwedinto the corresponding threaded holes 26 in the lowermost fixing member30 shown in FIG. 2.

Provided the bolts 44 are only screwed sufficiently into the threadedholes 26 that the members 28, 30 and 32 are kept together, the pulley32, together with the fixing members 28 and 30 may be fitted onto acorresponding shaft so that the fixing members 28 and 30 embrace theshaft. When the pulley 32 takes up its proper position on the shaft, thebolts 44 are tightened, so that the middle portions 12 of the two fixingmembers 28 and 30 are urged towards each other, pressure being exertednear the transition region 22 of each main portion 10. Thus the mainportion 10 of each fixing member 28 and 30 is urged to be flattened andthereby to cause a distortion or radial contraction of the transitionregion 22, and also of the middle portion 12, so that the diameter ofthe center opening 14 is in some degree diminished. This causes thefixing members 28 and 30 to frictionally engage the shaft and thereby tobe secured thereto. The aforesaid contraction of the middle portion 12is facilitated owing to the folds 18, which are also in some degreecompressed in their transverse direction. Therefore, as a result of thetightening of the bolts 44 there is obtained not only a substantialdesired contraction of the center opening 14 but also, exertion of avery high pressure of the edge faces 16 against the shaft. Further sincethe area of contact between the inner edge face 16 of the fixing membersand the shaft is large, owing to the zigzag shape of the edge face 16,even a slight tightening of the bolts 44 has the result that the ratherhigh torques can be transmitted to the shaft by the pully The higher thetorques, the stronger the bolts 44 must be tightened. Still further thefact that the inner edge face 16 includes edges extending obliquely toradial planes through the shaft, contributes to preventing a slidingmovement between the shaft and the inner edge face 16, and thereby to anincrease of the torque that can be transmitted.

In FIG. 3 a fixing member 46 is shown differing from the one shown inFIG. 1 in that the folds 18 extend over the middle portion 12 only,whereas the main portion 10 opposite to each fold 18 is provided with anopening in the form of an elongated aperture 48. These openings 48 makethe flattening of the main portion 10 still easier than the wedge-shapedextensions of the folds 18 over a part of the main portion 10 shown inFIG. 1. The embodiment shown in FIG. 3 is of importance mainly inconnection with fixing members for small shaft diameters.

In FIG. 4 there is shown how a fixing member 46 somewhat similar to theone shown in FIG. 3 may be utilized for securing an element 52 to ashaft 50. Fixing member 46 has a middle part 54 which is integral withfixing member 46 and yet acts as a counter member for fixing member 46so that element 52 can be secured to shaft 50. Fixing member 46 engagesa recess 56 formed in the element 52 opposite to the middle part 54.Middle part 54 and the main portion of fixing member 46 are urgedtowards each other by means of bolts 58 extending through unthreadedholes 24 in fxing member 46 between its folds 18, which bolts 58 arescrewed into corresponding threaded holes in middle part 54. Althoughthe fixing member 46 shown is provided with eight holes designated 24,only four threaded holes in middle part 54 are necessary.

FIGS. 5 to 7 show a fixing member 60 comprising a main portion 10extending between the outer circumference or rim 39 and the centeropening 14 of the member. The folds 18 extend over the whole width ofthe main portion 10 and have over their whole length the samecross-sectional shape. The main portion 10 is provided near the centeropening 14 and between the folds 18 with thickened portions 62 providingforwardly extending contact faces for engagement with the heads or sidesof nuts, bolts, or screws to be inserted into the unthreaded or threadedholes and serving as clamping means. This embodiment has the advantagethat when flattened, the main portion 10 will not only cause acontraction of its center opening 14, but also an expansion of itscircumference, in the same degree such a fixing member, or preferablytwo or more fixing members of this type joined to one another areespecially suited for fastening onto a shaft an element with a hub, thehub having a through-going center bore of a diameter larger than theshaft diameter. At each end of the hub bore two cooperating fixingmembers 60 may be arranged. Thus, a fastening of this kind of element toa shaft may be obtained that is just as effective as that obtainable bycompressible conical spacer bushings generally used for this purpose. Ithas to be observed that washers provided with conical oblique undersidesmay be substituted for the thickened portions 62.

FIGS. 8 and 9 show a fixing member of this invention formed as aself-locking nut 64. Also in this case the conical main portion 10extends from the center opening 14 to the circumference or outer rim 39of the member. This circumference is polygonal, namely hexagonal, as isthe case in most nuts, but it may also be circular, for example if thenut is to be threaded on an element manually.

Contrary to the embodiments described above in which the folds 18 arepressed forwards from the main portion 10 and have a V-shapedcross-section, which are more or less rounded at the bottom, the nut 64shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 is provided with folds 18 pressed outwardly fromthe main portion 10. These folds have slanting side walls 66 and 68which are mutually interconnected by an outer wall 70, so that thecross-sections are approximately U-shaped portions, although havingslanting sides and a relatively sharp transition between the latter andthe bottom of the U-shaped portions. The side walls of each of the folds18 converge radially outwardly and decrease in width, so that all threewalls 66, 68 and 70 converge into an apex at a corner of the polygon.Further, at the center opening 14, neighboring folds 18 are separated bya predetermined distance. This shape results in obtaining at the centeropening 14 a relatively large face area which is well suited for beingprovided with a thread 72.

The nut 64 has on its rear side, as shown to the left in FIG. 9, anaxially extending outer wall 74 following the outer periphery of thenut, and thus also being hexagonal at the outside, though its interiormay have a circular or cylindrical face. The free end face of the wall74 constitutes the radial abutting surface 46 of the nut or fixingmember 64.

Such a nut 64 can, for example, by means of a wrench, be screwed onto athreaded member, for example a threaded shaft or bolt end, and will workas a normal nut until the abutting surface 46 contacts a face on theelement to which it is fastened. When the nut is turned furtherthereafter, owing to its internal thread of the element and its meshwith the thread, the inner edge 16 of the main portion 10 will axiallybe urged towards the contact face of the element, so that the mainportion 10 will be somewhat flattened and consequently, the diameter ofits center opening will be reduced. Since the main portion 10 opposesthe flattening, an especially large axial pressure will be exertedbetween the internal threads 72 of the nut and the threads of the memberonto which the nut is threaded and simultaneously the threads 72 will bepressed radially inwardly with a great pressure. Thus a great radialpressure will be exerted between the threads of the two members,resulting in unusually elastic deformation of the threads locking thesame together. Such a nut which, by mass production, may be formed inthe same way as normal nuts, has shown itself to be cheaper inmanufacture, and more effective than hitherto known self-locking nuts.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the main portion 10 alsoextends from the center opening 14 to the outer periphery 39 of themember, but this embodiment may also be adapted to fixing members havinga flat middle portion. The front side, shown in FIG. 10, of the mainportion 10 is provided with an even number of ribs 76 and 78, of whichevery second rib 76 has approximately a rectangular cross-section and iswedge-shaped in a radial direction so that it has its greatest heightnear the center opening 14. Thus, the side walls 80 of the ribs 76 areapproximately perpendicular to the main portion 10, although they mayalso form an acute angle therewith. The other ribs 78 have approximatelytrapezoidol formed cross-sections, being widest at the bottom, and arealso approximately wedge-shaped along the radial direction. Theirslanting side walls 82 extend downwardly below the upper side of themain portion 10, the theoretical course 10' of which is shown by dottedlines in FIG. 12, so that on both sides of each rib 78 there is providedan approximately V-shaped groove 84, the wall 86 of which opposite tothe wall 82 is perpendicular to the upperside of the main portion 10 andthe bottom of which is situated lower than the upper side 10'. Each rib78 is at its lower side provided with a V-shaped groove 88, the bottomof which is situated higher than the upperside 10' of the main portion10. Thus, each rib 78 forms a fold of the type characteristic of thisinvention and, that as a result of an axial compression of the fixingmember, the inner edge 16 of the main portion 10 is forcibly pressedinwardly. Especially due to the ribs, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 10to 12 results in particularly large contact or friction areas beingobtained between the fixing member and the shaft or the like receivingthe fixing member.

In each of the two fixing members 98 shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, theabutting surfaces 40 follows an outermost zone 90 of the main portion10. Thus each abutting surface 40 forms a part of a truncted conecorresponding to the uppersde of the main portion 10 as viewed in FIG.13. The abutting surface 40, as well as the outer zone 90 may also bemay be situated in radial planes. Further, each fixing member 98 nearthe edge 16 of the center opening 14 and between, for example, threepairs of neighboring folds 18 at its rear side, is provided withprojections 92 of such a length, that their free end faces 94 contactthe innermost part of the main portion 10 of a similar fixing memberarranged behind it i.e., on the left as viewed in FIG. 14, coaxialtherewith, and with mutually parallel folds 18. Consequently, the twofixing members 98 will form a unit, and when the rear member of the twofixing members 98, i.e., the fixing member on the left in FIG. 14, hasits abutting surface 40 contacting an abutment face of the shaft-likeelement receiving the fixing members, an axial pressure exerted on thefrontmost fixing member 98 near its center opening 14 will result in auniform compression and flattening of both fixing members 98. The twofixing members will therefore act together as a single fixing memberhaving a contact or friction face cooperating with a matching shaftlikeelement having twice the area of the individual fixing members, whereasthe two fixing members 98 will require a substantially smaller axialpressure for developing a certain flattening compared to a single fixingmember of double thickness.

It has to be noted that, naturally, also the faces 94 and 96 can besituated in radial planes, and further the embodiment shown may beadapted to such fixing members which besides the main portion 10 alsoinclude a flatter middle portion.

In FIGS. 15 and 16 there is shown another unit comprising two fixingmembers 100 which, when arranged one behind the other in the quantitywanted, can ensure that an especially large area of friction is providedbetween the fixing members and a shaftlike element, the compressionpressure required compared to the total area of friction obtained beingrelatively small.

Each fixing member 100 comprises only a main portion 10 with folds 18,but a corresponding unit with which it is arranged may comprise a fixingmember which, besides the main portion 10, has a flatter, preferablyplanar middle portion corresponding to the middle portion 12 shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the folds 18are so shaped that the angle between the faces 102 is slightly smallerthan the angle between the faces 104 so that the folds 18 do not preventa close contact between the main portions 10 and cannot prevent thepressing together of the folds by flattening of the fixing members 100.

FIG. 17 shows a fixing member 106 in which, at its outer edge, the mainportion 10 is provided with notches 108 ensuring that an axialcompression of the member besides a contraction of its center opening 14provides substantially an expansion of its outer edge. Preferably twopairs of such fixing members 106, each pair facing in oppositedirections, are well suited for obtaining a firm connection between ashaft and a pipe-like member surrounding the shaft, when the fixingmembers pairs are inserted in the space between the two elements. This,for example, makes it possible to secure simple belt pulleys which perse only have to consist of the pulley rim.

FIG. 18 shows how a fixing member 110 of this invention may also beformed to serve for fastening an element to a shaft or journal that hasa polygonal cross-section such as the square cross-section of theembodiment shown.

Finally, FIGS. 19 to 21 show a fixing member 112 of this inventionadapted to be used as a washer for a bolt head or a nut. This fixingmember comprises a main portion 10, a middle portion 12 and rearwardlyor outwardly, i.e., to the right in FIG. 21, stamped folds 18. The edge16 of the center opening 14 has a diameter that corresponds to thediameter of a corresponding bolt generally designated 114 as shown inFIG. 21 which may be slid into the opening 14. The abutting surface 40is relatively sharp, but may also be somewhat chamfered. The fixingmember in the form of a washer 112 is placed around the bolt shank 116,and by tightening the bolt by means of its nut-shaped head 118, thewasher will be compressed between the inner side of the bolt head andthe outer side of the element 120 to be fastened to another element, bymeans of the bolt 114. The fixing member 112 is compressed so that itsinner diameter is diminished and the washer clamped to the bolt shank116 simultaneously with its being pressed strongly against the outerside of the element 120, thereby in a usual manner counteractingrotation of the washer. Thus, a washer of this type provides asubstantially better security against loosening of the bolt thanhitherto known lock washers, even spring washers.

The fixing member 112 can also be inserted around the threaded part of abolt between a nut and an element, and will thereby be clamped to thebolt and will not be rotatable relative thereto.

As appears from what is stated above, a fixing member of this inventioncan have many varied embodiments, partly depending on its field ofapplication, and can be implemented in manners different from thosegiven as examples in the drawings and explained above. Further, thespecification describes only a few of the many fields of application ofa fixing member according to the present invention.

It should to be noted that even though in most cases bolts are used asclamping means for compression of the fixing member, many other clampingmeans may be used in practice. Thus, in connection with the fixingmember in the form of nut 64 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the clamping meansare constituted by the threads of the bolt on which the nut is threaded,and in connection with the washer 112 shown in FIGS. 19 to 21, they areconstituted by a bolt head or a nut. Also for compression of fixingmembers of this invention serving to clamp driving elements to a shaft,nuts may be used as the clamping means, for example flanged nuts, orother elements able to exert a pressure on the middle portion 12 of thefixing member, or on the inner border of the main portion 10, whichclamping means may otherwise be independent of the fixing member itself.

I claim:
 1. A fixing member having an axial opening and being adapted tobe clamped onto a shaft-like element passing through said opening bydeforming said fixing member upon application of axially acting clampingmeans, comprisingan outer truncated and normally generally conicalportion converging in a direction towards said opening, said outertruncated portion including an outer rim having a surface adapted tocontact and axially to be supported by a counter member, an inneraccordion-like portion integral with said outer portion, said innerportion terminating in an inner rim at said axial opening, said innerportion including radially outward extending folds, and substantiallyflat portions between said folds, at least some of said flat portionsbeing adapted to be influenced by said clamping means for being axiallyurged in the direction of said counter member, said inner rim having awave-shaped countour as viewed radially outwardly and being adapted toreceive said shaft-like element, whereby upon appliction of axialpressure to said fixing member by means of said clamping means, saidfixing means is in some degree flattened and said folds in some degreecompressed and thereby said fixing member deformed so that said innerrim frictionally engages said shaft-like element.
 2. A fixing member asclaimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing member has a front partcorresponding to the upper side of said outer truncated portion and arear part corresponding to the lower side of said outer truncatedportion, and wherein said front part is adapted to engage with the rearpart of a second fixing member near said outer and inner rims.
 3. Afixing member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said fixing member isintegral with said counter member at said outer rim.
 4. A fixing memberas claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said folds has a substantiallyV-shaped cross-section, and two major sides converging in a radiallyoutward direction.
 5. A fixing member as claimed in claim 1, whereinsaid outer truncated conical portion converges at a predetermined angle,and wherein said flat portions converge in a direction towards saidaxial opening at an angle greater than said predetermined angle, aradial transition zone being defined between said flat portions and saidouter conical portion, said folds terminating at said transition zone,said outer conical portion having an elongated aperture near thetermination of each fold extending radially outwards.
 6. A fixing memberas claimed in claim 5, wherein each elongated aperture converges in adirection towards said outer rim.
 7. A fixing member as claimed in claim1, wherein each fold has a substantially V-shaped cross-section and twomajor sides extending substantially parallel to one another.
 8. A fixingmember as claimed in claim 1, wherein said axial opening is circular,and wherein said inner rim is threaded.
 9. A fixing member as claimed inclaim 1, wherein said outer rim has a contour in the shape of a polygon.10. A fixing member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer truncatedconical portion has a thickness decreasing in a radially outwarddirection.
 11. A fixing member as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outerrim has free end portions, and wherein at least some of said endportions have notches.